Falling
by fiercesunshine
Summary: As Cloud fell, he remembered doing this before. When he woke up... well, things were different. He was in a different world and having flashbacks to memories that weren't his, for starters. Cleon, Valenwind, possible others. AU. ON HIATUS.
1. Falling

**Disclaimer:** Don't own anything, as much as I wish I did.

* * *

He was falling, watching as the ground came closer, and the only thing he could think was that he had done this before. He didn't know when; he'd certainly never tried to kill himself before, not like this, and so the memories that came to his mind as he fell were unbidden and confusing, though not entirely unwelcome.

Well, why not? He could dwell on someone else's life as he fell, it was much better than thinking about his own. After all, that was what had gotten him here.

The last time (but there hadn't _been_ a last time), he had told himself that he would be fine, that he would see them again – he had told them that before he had let go. The last time, he had fallen for what seemed like forever until he blacked out, and when he had woken up it had been in a bed of flowers with someone else. He didn't know who that someone had been – all he remembered was brown hair and gentle touches, letting him know he was alive, that he was okay – that everything was going to be okay.

Cloud closed his eyes. He didn't want to remember this non-existent memory anymore, because something told him that it ended in tragedy. He simply fell, his mind carefully blank until he hit it.

The unbidden memory came flooding back as he hit the roof, boards groaning under his weight and snapping almost instantly, scratching at his clothes as his limbs slammed against the broken-off ends. He kept his mouth firmly shut, refusing to cry out – he had chosen this, had _chosen _this, damn it. Instinct made him curl up, protecting his head and vital organs, but he didn't care, even if it was only because he could feel himself fading away.

For the first time in a long time, Cloud Strife smiled as the darkness took him.

* * *

"Is he awake yet?"

A voice filtered through the darkness, bright and piercing and utterly annoying, like that of a younger sister begging for candy. Cloud groaned mentally, wondering if this was hell, but then another voice answered.

"Yuffie, quiet! You'll wake him!" Cloud froze. He knew that voice – it was the voice from the memory he had encountered as he had fallen. It was a woman's voice, calming, beautiful. He understood why he had loved her, even if the events had never taken place, but he didn't love her now. Her voice was the same, but the notes in it were different – more maternal, less like a lover and more like a very good friend.

"Aerith. Yuffie. If you've finished checking on him, perhaps we should leave." Another voice, quiet and calm and gruff, somehow warm and cold at the same time – a man's this time, one that didn't threaten to make more false memories (they weren't his, even if he was in them – maybe the memories of someone like him, in another world, but not his) appear. Cloud relaxed, letting his eyes open slightly as he heard a door begin to close.

All he saw was brown hair.

* * *

When Cloud woke again, it was to the sounds of cross grumbling and swearing. "Playing house maid to some idiot kid for some girls who think he's _cute_ and an old wizard who is probably breaking my computer…"

The man's grumblings were cut off as Cloud coughed.

"What?! Oh! Well, it's about damn time you're awake. Don't get up or the girls'll have a fit – I've got some oatmeal for you here. The name's Cid."

Cloud stared at him for a moment. Did this mean he wasn't dead? Noting that Cid raised an eyebrow at his silence, he quickly amended. "Cloud."

Cid grunted. "Well, someone will be up here later to check on you. Eat and then get some rest." With that, the older blond left, leaving Cloud to his thoughts.

Unfortunately, that was exactly what Cloud didn't want right now. Sitting there, a bowl of oatmeal in one hand and a spoon in the other, was not how today was supposed to have happened. Today wasn't supposed to have happened at all, not for him; he should have been dead. He would have been dead, if they hadn't found him, hadn't taken him here.

Cloud growled, slamming the oatmeal onto the bedside table before standing. Rest be damned; he was going down there and finding out what the hell these people were thinking. Adrenaline pumping, Cloud made it to the door before exhaustion took its toll and he collapsed, head thumping against the unforgiving floor as he faded into darkness yet again.


	2. Waking Up

Okay, so I just posted the first chapter of this today. I have four days off of school and I still have muse, so oh well. Besides, I like stories with more than one chapter – they make me happy inside, and I figure they might make some of you happy, too. Before I forget, sorry about the general crappiness of it all - I can't do accents, and half the characters will probably end up being way too OOC, but I'll try my best.

**Disclaimer:** Don't own anything, as much as I wish I did.

* * *

Groaning, Cloud opened his eyes, raising one hand to his head. He was dimly aware of someone moving around the room, of hands taking his own, and of that calm, gentle voice that belonged in his false memories. "It's all right. Sleep now, Cloud."

"How… how do you know…?"

"Cid told me." Of course. Cid had told her. "I'll come and check on you later, okay Cloud? My name is Aerith, by the way."

All Cloud could do was nod as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"_Cloud."_

_He was inside a church, surrounded by flowers, sunlight filtering down from the hole in the roof. He shifted, surprised by the lack of pain – he had fallen so far, and yet it seemed as though he was barely harmed._

"_Cloud."_

_Sitting up, the blond looked around, bright blue eyes searching for the one who spoke to him. He looked over to the door, where a bright light shone. In the light, he could just barely make out the form of Aerith. She was smiling sadly, holding a basket filled with flowers as she looked at him. Behind her, he could make out the form of a man with spiky black hair._

"_You found me again. This time, you're the one who needs protecting. There's someone coming to see you. Take care, okay Cloud?"_

"_What? Who? Who's coming to see me?"_

_Aerith only smiled, turning to leave with the black-haired man. "Your light."_

* * *

"Cloud! You're awake! And walking without falling over this time!" Bouncing around the room, the black-haired girl gave him a hug before grabbing his hand. "Come on! Everyone's waiting for you, and it's up to me, the Great Ninja Yuffie, to get you down there in top shape!"

Cloud followed obediently, too weak to argue with the hyperactive girl who was currently jabbering on about something, settling instead for tuning her out. He frowned, wondering if she was always like this or if she got some sort of sick pleasure out of seeing him in pain, when he remembered the voices from the first day. She had definitely been there, and though that didn't reassure him, it comforted him slightly.

"Ta-da! Here he is, guys! Our own little fallen angel!"

"Yuffie!" Sounding exasperated, Aerith came over, smiling as she peeked up into Cloud's face. "How are you feeling?"

"I… uhm, fine."

"That was quite a fall, young man. Are you quite certain you're all right?" An elderly man dressed in blue robes was watching him through his glasses, but Cid quickly cut off any reply Cloud could have given.

"Of course he's all right, Merlin, what with Aerith and Yuffie fussin' over him and that healing magic o' yours an' Aerith's." Looking over at him, the older blond frowned, clenching the toothpick between his teeth. "You _are_ okay, ain't ya?"

Cloud nodded, looking around at the people in the room. Aerith, Yuffie, Cid, Merlin, and… _him_. The brunet had yet to speak, choosing instead to look at him with stormy gray eyes and nod instead, but Cloud somehow knew that this had been the third voice from that night. Noticing his stare, the other man turned away, grabbing a jacket from behind a chair.

"I'm going to the Bailey." With that, he left, letting the door swing shut behind him. Sighing, Aerith smiled at him, only her eyes revealing that she wasn't pleased.

"Sorry about that, Cloud. Leon… well, Leon is Leon. He's glad to know that you're all right, though."

"Yeah! Leon though you were a goner for sure. So did the rest of us, actually, but you must be tough, Cloudster!" Yuffie butted in, ignoring the strange look that Cloud shot her. _Cloudster?_

"It was a long fall. I thought I was dead, too." He surprised himself, twitching slightly when he realized what he had said before relaxing. These were nice enough people; no need to worry them over his problems, no need to add that he wished he was dead instead of standing here in the middle of a crowded kitchen.

"Do you live around here?" Aerith's voice brought him back to the present, and he shook his head. Better to let them think that… he wasn't going back, alive or not. "Stay with us, then, at least until you're fully recovered. Besides, the Restoration Committee could use another pair of hands – if you're up for it, of course."

Cloud only nodded. What else was there for him to do?


	3. The Barn

**Disclaimer:** Don't own anything, as much as I wish I did.

* * *

A week went by before Leon spoke to Cloud about the incident. All of them (with the exception of Cid, who was trying to upgrade the security system, and Merlin, who had been banned from the restoration site – and the computer – and was instead handling large amounts of paperwork) worked on restoring Hollow Bastion daily, and Leon was the unofficial leader – unofficial in that he hadn't asked for the title but everyone called him the leader anyway. Cloud had been allowed to help the day after he met everyone, Merlin and Aerith's magic combined with his body's naturally swift healing bringing him close to the shape he'd been in before he had jumped. 

Not that any of them knew he had jumped. Cloud had found that his initial instincts were right; these were good people, and somehow, he couldn't quite bring himself to tell them, even if they'd only just met. Instead, he kept quiet, working with them as they repaired roofs, strengthened walls, and prepared for winter. He found that he was normally paired with Aerith, which was fine – he suspected it was because they didn't want him to get hurt, and he was right. Yuffie, being Yuffie, had pouted, complaining that "Dear old Squ—Leon wasn't any fun," but as she was more often than not working nearby anyways, the arrangement wasn't too bad for any of them. All Leon had to do was give Cloud the occasional instruction and tell Yuffie to calm down before disappearing, and then it was just the three of them.

The only problem was, Cloud was still having strange flashbacks to a life he'd never known. After one particularly vivid dream, he'd gone and asked Cid if he'd ever flown an airship, to which the older man laughed. "An airship? Nah, always wanted one though… why ya askin', Spike?"

Cloud had simply shaken his head. He didn't know, and it scared him. The dreams were beginning to take their toll; he found himself checking his pockets after Yuffie left the room, found himself wondering why Cid wasn't forcing him to have some of Aerith's tea, found himself wondering when Aerith would leave and not come back. The only problem was, Yuffie never stole anything, Cid didn't seem to care if Cloud drank his tea or not, and Aerith was always there, smiling sweetly and watering her flowers.

It was enough to drive a person crazy, if said person hadn't already known true insanity. After all, he'd tried to kill himself, hadn't he? Instead, he started distancing himself a little more. Now that bruises were beginning to fade, he found that he could get away from Aerith at the work sites without her panicking, and so he started doing so more often. He didn't know the streets (he had lived in the country, had found himself in the city, and had tried to kill himself – that was all there was to his previous existence in Hollow Bastion), but he couldn't stay near them. They made him feel uneasy, restless, and until he could convince himself that it wasn't real, he had to get away.

That was why he was standing in front of the old barn with the gaping hole in its roof, eyeing it with distaste, when Leon found him.

"Why aren't you working?" The hair on the back of Cloud's neck stood up, and he turned his head slightly as the brunet man came to stand beside him.

"Felt like taking a break."

"Hm." Leon pushed open the door, jerking his head towards the inside of the barn. "Since you're here, you might as well help me out."

Cloud followed him inside. The barn was old and dusty, with lumps of old, long-forgotten straw sitting in stalls that once may have held livestock. There was a toolbox sitting on a bench in one corner, but as the blond looked around, he couldn't help but wonder why they were bothering to restore this place. As if he could read his mind, Leon spoke.

"Scrooge McDuck wants to start some sort of business with chocobos. He bought the barn, and we're fixing it up for him because chocobos will be a lot of help with transporting supplies, and he's giving us a discount."

"Oh." Cloud had met Scrooge McDuck earlier that week – he was a business tycoon, always trying to make even more money, but he seemed okay. As much as Cloud hated to admit it, the sea-salt ice cream he had started to make (based off of the infamous Twilight Town flavor, he had informed Cloud, who couldn't have cared less) was pretty good.

"It's where we found you."

Cloud turned his head so quickly he thought it might come unscrewed. "What?"

"After you tried to kill yourself," Leon stated, staring at him calmly. "You fell through the roof. All you did was enlarge the hole, really."

Cloud stared at him for a minute more before turning around and briskly walking out, ignoring the man whose gray eyes burned into him as he left.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I don't know why, but Leon's last line there cracks me up. o.O Oh, and I'm honestly not sure if 'chocobo' should be capitalized or not... any ideas? 


	4. Rain

**Author's Note:** I really, really don't like the way this chapter came out, but it needed to happen.

**Disclaimer:** Don't own anything, as much as I wish I did. And **Warning:** (because I forgot one in the first chapter). This story will, eventually, include two males being romantically, and possibly physically (which also means the rating will possibly go up), involved. Although if you don't know that Cloud and Leon are both guys in the first place, why are you reading this when you could be playing the games?

* * *

Cloud didn't know when he'd noticed that the sky was dark. He'd been walking for what seemed like hours after leaving Leon behind in the barn, that red-hot flash of anger that had sped him away having long since faded. Cloud wasn't even sure if he was still in Hollow Bastion, as he hadn't been paying enough attention to where he was going. Even if he was, he had no idea how to get back to Merlin's house.

He didn't even know if he wanted to go back.

Leon had been so blunt, so calm, as he informed Cloud that the barn – that stupid, dilapidated piece of _shit_ barn – was where they had found him after he'd jumped. The brunet man had known but obviously hadn't cared. Cloud didn't know why, but it _bothered_ him. He and Leon had never really gotten along – had never really spoken, actually – but Cloud had thought that maybe, just maybe, everything was going okay for once. Aerith, Yuffie, Merlin, and even Cid seemed to enjoy his presence… No. They were just being polite to the man they had saved out of conscience who had the added bonus of being useful when he healed up.

It hurt.

Cloud hadn't wanted to form an attachment to these people, but he had. And they didn't care. They never would.

Then again, no one ever did, now did they? Not really.

Cloud sighed, running his hand through his spiky blond hair. There was a distant roll of thunder in the distance, and he narrowed his eyes in distaste at the increasingly dark sky. It reminded him too much of a certain brunet's stormy gray eyes, and he really, really did not want to think about him right now, even if he and Merlin were the only ones who didn't make him feel like he was going absolutely crazy.

There was more thunder, and Cloud stiffened. The storm was getting closer. In the distance, he spotted some ruins – perfect cover from the onslaught of rain that threatened to come at any minute. His direction quickly changed, now that he actually had a destination in mind. A small, nagging part of his mind asked him what the hell he thought he was doing, but Cloud ignored it, choosing instead to focus on the ruins.

They were large, impressive – much like the ruined castle that was distant from just about every point in Hollow Bastion, but clearly designed by someone different. Those ruins had been altered after their original creation; these ruins were far too mechanical for any alteration, like a well-oiled machine that needed every part at all times with no room for extras.

Unbidden, an image of a massive 'floating' city came to his mind, one sector of it exploding and raining steel upon the slums that rested below it.

Surprised, Cloud stumbled over a twisted hunk of metal and fell.

* * *

If he didn't stop falling down and hurting himself soon, Cloud was going to ask Cid to build an MRI and check for brain damage that could potentially have harmed his coordination.

Wincing, the blond man sat up, looking up to see the edge of the treacherous piece of metal that had so politely sent him sprawling down into this surprisingly deep hole. Cloud's eyes narrowed, and he opened his mouth to swear at it just as a loud clap of thunder signaled the start of a downpour. Instead of swearing, he sighed instead, standing up and brushing the dirt off his pants as the ground beneath his feet began to turn to mud. It was hard to see, but Cloud knew that his only way out was quite possibly now a slick, dangerous, muddy, and exceptionally steep slope.

The rain was coming down hard and fast, and it was all Cloud could do to remind himself that it would probably stop soon. He started pacing the hole, keeping close to the exit. As he paced, his mind wandered back to the people who had taken him in. Too tired to resist, he let himself think.

If he was honest, really honest, with himself, Cloud knew that they cared. Aerith studied him in the morning as he walked into the kitchen, trying to see if he was healthy. Cid had asked Cloud if he wanted to learn how to use his precious computer (Cloud had declined, something he was sure relieved the older man greatly). Merlin was always trying to make Cloud more comfortable with his magic, even if the others warned him against accepting his 'help'. Yuffie followed him around like a very annoying puppy when she wasn't jumping out from behind random objects in his general direction. Leon…

Leon hadn't pressed him for answers when all Cloud wanted to do was think. He'd let Cloud settle into things before even bringing up what he knew, and now that he thought back, Leon had only said something because Cloud had shown up at the barn.

There was a flash of lightning, and something caught his eye. It was further back in the pit than Cloud had ventured, but he went anyway. It looked like some sort of metal…

_Buster Sword._

Without really knowing what he was doing, Cloud knelt, digging the sword out of the mud. It was massive, something no ordinary man should be able to lift, but something that would pack a deadly punch if he could.

He pulled it out of the mud with ease.

It was familiar yet foreign, deadly yet beautiful. Cloud let his fingers run down the side of it, leaving trails in the mud that coated it. The rain began to slow, the rumbles of thunder clearly in the distance yet again. Unbidden (as always), the image of the black-haired man from Cloud's dream came to him. _Zack._

The image was broken as a piece of metal flew through the air directly towards him.


	5. Cream Filling?

**Chapter Five:** Cream Filling?

**Author's Note:** Sorry it's taken so long! Life's been rough, and I've been sick, so don't hurt me! And I butchered Reno in this chapter, but he'll calm down a bit… I hope…

Also, this is mostly just a filler chapter, which is why I'm even considering putting it up here when it's such a pile of crap. And which also explains the chapter title. Hope none of you saw it and were thinking dirty ;D

**Disclaimer:** I own a cat who acts a lot like Yuffie and Demyx rolled into one, and another cat who acts like a mix between Cloud, Marluxia, and Xemnas… but not the rights to the actual characters or the games, which are just as cuddly.

* * *

The metal projectile that was currently heading straight for him was almost beautiful, but as Cloud stared at it, he knew that getting hit by it would hurt, to say the least. After all, it was claw-shaped, and those ends looked _sharp_. There was a reason he had decided to jump; the pain would be intense, but it would only be for a minute.

As it flew towards him, his world seemed to stop. Everything was silent, even his own heart. There was nothing but him, the metal claw, and the sword that was in his hand.

With reflexes Cloud didn't know he had, he rolled out of the way as the claw sailed through the space that his face had been occupying.

Gasping slightly, shocked by what he'd just done, it took him a minute more to hear the voices. "Reno! Can't you ever control yourself?"

"We've been partners for a long time, Rude. You should know better than that by now."

"Fine. But you're going to get it."

There was a snort, and Cloud heard footsteps approaching the pit. He hastily scrambled back up, his grip on the massive sword tightening as he looked up. A second later, a pale man with pulled back red hair and red tattoos near his eyes was looking over the edge at him. "Holy shit! What're you doing down there?"

Cloud sighed, wishing for a moment that the edge of the hole would slide down and that the man (Reno, he assumed) would slide down into the pit, but then realized that he would then be stuck with him and decided to stop wishing for that particular event to happen.

Either way, it was looking like a long day.

* * *

When Cloud had left him standing there in the barn, all Leon did was raise an eyebrow and continue working.

Now that the mysterious blond had been gone for several hours, he was starting to wish he'd at least attempted to stop him. He had gone back to Merlin's house when the rain had started, stopping to help Aerith and Yuffie gather their supplies when the energetic ninja spoke up. "Where's the Cloudster?"

"Gone."

"Gone? What do you mean, gone?!" Aerith asked, turning sharply to face him. Leon swallowed nervously. At that moment, the petite brunette woman looked more like an angry pink dragon.

"I…"

"Silly Squall, did you try and ignore the fact that other people have emotions again?" Yuffie interrupted, her chipper voice hiding the fact that she, too, was worried about Cloud.

"It's Leon. And no, Yuffie, as I am _quite_ aware that as human beings, we all have emotions, thank you."

"Go and find him," Aerith demanded, interrupting them. For once, Yuffie didn't press on. "You've got your gunblade with you, you'll be fine – as long as you bring him back safely."

Leon stared at her for a moment, wondering briefly if that was a threat and deciding that it wasn't.

It was a promise.

Nodding, he handed Yuffie his tools (much to her displeasure) and strode off, making it look like he had some idea as to where he was going.

* * *

"Okay, now grab the rod and I'll pull you out!"

"Oh, and don't forget to grab the metal claw thing, or else Rude will kill me."

Sighing, Cloud scooped up the offending piece of metal that had just tried to, if nothing else, take an eye out and shoved it in his pocket before staring up at Reno and his partner. "This isn't going to work. Not if I have this." Gesturing towards the sword that was now attached to his back, Cloud saw Reno' bright expression dim slightly before it lit back up.

Oh gods, he was dealing with another Yuffie, except this one was male and – if the comments he'd been making for the last ten minutes were any indication – in possession of a rather large sex drive.

"Just toss it up here, then!"

Cloud mentally weighed his options. On one hand, he could refuse, and end up being stuck in this pit even longer, possibly with the two men down there with him. On the other hand, he could throw it up there and be left in the hole, or brought up and killed anyway. Besides, if he did throw the sword out of the pit, there was a chance that it would hit Reno on the head.

He chose the second option, and was rewarded with the optimistic reward (i.e. the option he hadn't thought of) – being pulled out and then allowed to live.

"Your sword's over there." Rude pointed, then returned his arms to their position across his chest, reclining his head back slightly so that he could look (maybe, it was hard to tell with those sunglasses) at the sun.

Cloud retrieved it wordlessly, clipping it back onto his back as he returned to the two men, digging the metal claw out of his pocket. "What is this thing, anyway?"

"It's a prototype! See, we're testing out hooks to grab onto walls for nets, but none of the ones so far can be left up for more than a day," Reno explained, taking the claw from Cloud before Rude took it from him.

"Reno gets slightly… hyperactive when it comes to trying out new products. That's why it came sailing into the pit." Rude explained, ignoring the slight glare from his partner.

"Lucky for you then, huh? I mean, you could've been stuck out here."

Cloud simply nodded. Yes, he could have been stuck out here – but going back? Aerith, Yuffie, and Cid all made him feel like he was going crazy, and Merlin didn't need the extra house guest.

He wasn't going to think about the other one, the one who had made him end up so far away from town in the first place.

"What's your name?" Jerked out of his thoughts by Reno, who was beginning to calm down slightly, Cloud shrugged. What harm could it do?

"…Cloud. I – " He paused, not sure whether to continue, before going ahead anyway. "I've been staying at Restoration Committee Headquarters."

"That Merlin's house?" Rude asked, looking back towards him. Cloud nodded.

"Excellent! We're heading towards there; we can give you a lift." Reno smirked before whipping out his cell phone, punching in a number. "We're heading to Hollow Bastion now, Boss. Yeah. Well… yes, _sir_." Rolling his eyes, Reno hung up.

"Can we go now?" Cloud snapped slightly. After all, he was wet, covered in mud, and had the strangest feeling that the man Reno had just gotten off the phone with was named Rufus. Just then, the roar of a truck caught his attention. Rude had wandered off without a word and was now coming towards them in a beat-up gray truck.

Reno hopped in without a second thought, but Cloud hesitated. "This… is your truck?"

Rude eyed him. "You love it, I know."

Reno laughed, but Cloud clambered in nonetheless, though he made sure to utilize his seat belt.


	6. Dinner and a Show

**Chapter Six:** Dinner and a Show

**Author's Note:** You know, I really suck at labeling things. Seriously, someone needs to make a dictionary on how you're supposed to label fanfic pairings and so on. And I suppose this is more of a Kingdom Hearts/FFVII cross-over fic… but you'll deal =P

Behind that pink dress and those flowers, we all know this is what Aerith is _really_ like.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything at all. The only reason I own the games themselves is because they were presents. I don't even own any Nirvana CDs, just a cat named Nirvana. I have an over-abundance of cats, but no rights, no CDs, no nothing. -sigh-

* * *

The drive back to Merlin's had been bumpy, slightly terrifying, and filled with Reno's loud singing to Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit", but not bad. In the few moments when Reno wasn't singing, either due to forgetting the words or because he was talking, Cloud discovered that Reno and Rude were supposed to report the results of their tests to Leon and the others. It seemed that the Restoration Committee did a lot of business with them, mostly because Rufus Shinra (who was, as Cloud had suspected, the man on the other line) and Scrooge McDuck were the only people with any sort of wealth left in Hollow Bastion. When Cloud asked what had happened to the city, Reno had choked and stared at him.

"You mean you don't _know?_ Where the hell did you live before here that you didn't hear?" Reno spluttered. Even Rude's grip on the steering wheel seemed tense. "Well, whatever. I'll let Squall tell you; I'm not getting in the middle of _that_."

The rest of the ride had continued fairly normally, with the exception of the giant wall of muddy water that washed over half the road as Rude took an exceptionally tight turn and, of course, Reno's singing. Before long, they were back in Hollow Bastion and walking up to Merlin's front door.

'Well, guess I'd better prepare myself,' Cloud thought, shoulders tensing slightly. He was sure Leon had told everyone, was sure that they wouldn't want him – and then the door opened.

"CLOUD!!" Yuffie shrieked, almost pouncing on him before noticing that he was covered in mud. "WE MISSED YOU!!" Turning, she seemed to notice Reno and Rude for the first time. "Reno! Rude! It's been forever!"

"Reno and Rude are here, too?" Aerith appeared in the doorway, giving Cloud one of her soft smiles before beckoning inside. "Come on, you're just in time for supper. Cloud, you should go take a shower before we eat – we'll wait for you."

"I don't mind, go ahead and start."

"Don't be silly. We're waiting on Leon, too, so it's no trouble. Besides, Cid will probably want to talk to these two about the town's security system. Go on."

Cloud complied, hearing Cid's boisterous yell from downstairs. It seemed Leon hadn't been back yet to tell. He may as well take a shower then, so he could be clean when the time came and he had to leave. Stopping in the room he'd been using, he grabbed some clothes, but decided to keep the Buster Sword with him. After all, it needed a good cleaning, too. Sighing to himself, Cloud shut the door to the bathroom, trying to relax before what would undoubtedly be a long night.

* * *

Leon was pissed.

He had been trekking through the countryside, in the rain, in _leather_, for almost an hour. Before he had done that, he had been working in a dusty old barn. When he finally got sick of looking for Cloud and was too tired to care whether or not Aerith skinned him alive or not and turned for home, he was doused with muddy water by a beat up old truck. Why people drove like maniacs after rain storms Leon didn't know, but he happened to know that it was all Cloud's fault.

If he ever saw him again, Leon thought that he might just kill him.

* * *

"…and so I said 'Well, I just happen to have picked up a shipment of Potions today.' He bought 'em all, the idiot!"

After half an hour in the shower, Cloud knew that he couldn't ignore everyone anymore. Luckily, Reno was making his job easy. It had obviously been some time since Reno and Rude had stopped in to see everyone; they were still catching up when Cloud had come downstairs, and now – an hour later, by his count – they were just beginning to wind down. Yuffie and Reno seemed to be kindred spirits; the mischievous ninja had taken to comparing notes with Reno on scamming people. Rude had gone off to help Aerith in the kitchen, and Cid and Merlin were arguing about the pros and cons of magically-enhanced machinery. It was cozy, and when Aerith announced that supper was ready, Cloud found himself relaxing. It had started raining again, softly this time, and he found the noise soothing – though he kept his newfound sword near him anyways. Aerith had given him a curious look, but let it go, and so it stayed at his side.

"Cloud? Will you help me with the potatoes?" Aerith called from the kitchen, poking her head out to look at him.

"Sure." Standing, he silently debated for a moment and let the sword stay by his chair before moving to join Aerith.

They worked in silence for a moment before Aerith spoke. "You know, Cloud, we were really worried about you today. We haven't known each other for long, but all of us feel like you're part of the family. I guess what I'm saying is… be careful, okay?"

Cloud nodded, giving Aerith a slight smile before bringing the potatoes out to set on the table. They were surprisingly heavy, and Cloud fumbled with them for a moment.

With a loud BANG!, the door opened.

Setting the bowl down, Cloud slowly looked up to meet smoldering gray eyes, and wondered why his throat suddenly felt extremely dry.

"Uh, h-hey Leon." Reno stammered, apparently not used to the furious look in the brunet's eyes.

Glancing at the red-head and his partner, Leon turned his attention back to Cloud. "You. Hallway. Now."

"We were just about to eat, Squ-" Yuffie began, but shut her mouth when Leon fixed her with a withering glare.

Cloud obeyed the order, not daring to grab the Buster Sword as he stepped out into the hallway before Leon. "Yes?"

"What the HELL were you thinking, running away like that? Thanks to you, I'm wet, covered in mud, wearing ruined clothes, tired, and really, really fucking sore! I was trekking all over the goddamned countryside looking for you, and what thanks do I get when I come home? More people to look after as they stay here!" Leon shouted, his temper having gone off when he saw that Cloud was at home and completely unharmed. Cloud, however, immediately went on the defensive.

"I didn't ask you to come looking for me. Just like I didn't ask you to 'save' me," he snapped, blue eyes and slightly feminine features suddenly hard. Trying to push past the other man, he suddenly found himself slammed against the wall, Leon's fist against his shirt.

"Stop being so selfish, you fucking jackass!"

"Leon!" Looking over Leon's shoulder, Cloud could see Aerith standing there, hands at her mouth before her expression grew dark. "Boys! Stop fighting!"

Growling, Leon slowly loosened his hold on Cloud's shirt. Cloud let out a breath he hadn't noticed he'd been holding in. Spinning around, Leon made for the door, but Aerith stopped him. "Squall Leonhart – don't you _dare_ correct me – go upstairs and take a shower this instant! As of tomorrow, you and Cloud are paired up on Restoration duties and for everything else. You'll be sharing a room, too, because like it or not, you're family now."

Cloud was dimly aware of the stunned silence in the dining room as the other residents of Merlin's house and their guests watched the scene in awe.

"Fine." Leon snapped, heading up the stairs. Aerith turned and went back to the dining room, Cloud following wordlessly behind as he took his seat next to Yuffie.

"Don't worry," the ninja whispered, looking at Aerith with wide eyes. "She's not like this all the time – she's probably just PMSing."

Somehow, Cloud doubted it.


	7. Moving Day

**Chapter Seven:** Moving Day

**Author's Note:** Okay, so there isn't a lot that happens in this chapter. It seems kinda rushed to me, but I couldn't think of a good way for Cloud and Leon to stop hating each other. -sigh- I think it's somewhat believable, but if all else fails, just say Cloud is a slave to his conscience, okay?

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

* * *

When Cloud had been a child, he had spent a week at his aunt's house. Every morning, her over-enthusiastic Labrador retriever would chase her equally fearful tabby cat into the guest room, where Cloud proceeded to become a springboard for both animals as they raced through. It had not been a fun trip (his aunt had been a bit eccentric, and on his first night there Cloud had found something resembling a dead rabbit underneath his bed. Needless to say, he had not gotten much sleep, and when he did, he was often rudely awakened by the previously mentioned Labrador. This morning, however, Cloud was beginning to think of the experience fondly.

"C'mon Cloudster, it's moving duty! Up, up, up! We've got to move your stuff to Squall's room!"

"Yuffie," Cloud began, warily opening one eye to stare at the ninja. "You're hurting my ribs. And in case you've forgotten, everything except my sword is still stored in the shopping bags or in the laundry."

Bouncing once more for good measure, Yuffie sprang off the bed (and Cloud), and proceeded to drag him out of bed, too. Cloud quietly thanked whatever deity had reminded him to wear pajama bottoms to bed the night before. "Yeah, well, Tifa wants her room back. Besides, Reno and Rude are leaving today – we have to go see them off."

Cloud hadn't met Tifa, though he had seen pictures of the dark-haired woman in the living room. She had called a few days before 'the incident' from a vacation, and was expected back at any minute. Although he hadn't met her face-to-face, he had spoken with her briefly – she had seemed nice enough, and had allowed him to continue staying in her room until she got back. Unfortunately, the previous night's events had bumped up his moving date.

Stretching, Cloud threw on a shirt before heading downstairs. He would have taken a shower, but Reno and Rude wanted to leave early in the day. While the red-head and his bald partner had only come into his life the day before, Cloud had become strangely fond of the two men. Leaning against the doorway, apparently waiting for him, was Reno. "Yo."

Nodding, Cloud stopped, listening to the sounds of Rude trying to get Yuffie off him from the next room. "Hey."

"Listen, Cloud…" Reno paused, grinning slightly as they head Yuffie land on the floor with an audible thump. "I know you and Leonhart haven't exactly been best pals, but he doesn't hate ya. Just don't screw it up, y'know?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Well… he's been through a lot. Great guy though – never seen anyone work so hard after losing so much. I'm guessin' you've been through a lot, too, so I figure you can sympathize, y'know?" Cloud snorted.

"Then why can't he?" Reno sighed, leaning his head back.

"You remind him of someone he used to know." With that, Reno slipped into the next room, ruffling Yuffie's hair and declining Aerith's offer to stay for a bit longer. Cloud wordlessly followed him in, and as he later waved goodbye to the two men, he found his thoughts drifting back to what Reno said.

* * *

"Okay, Cloud, Leon. Now that you two will be rooming together, we're going to set up a few rules." Resisting the urge to roll his eyes at Aerith, Leon simply sighed. Almost as soon as Reno and Rude had left, the brunette had ordered Cloud off to the shower and had forced Leon to work with Yuffie on the garden. Now that both men were back in the kitchen, she seemed to have decided that a lecture was in order. "First off, there isn't enough room in Leon's room for two beds – nor do we have an extra bed to spare – so you will be sharing."

"I'll sleep on the floor," Cloud quickly spoke up. Leon felt a prickle of annoyance surge through him. _He_ was supposed to be the noble one, dammit!

"No." When Cloud looked at him, surprised, Leon quickly elaborated. "You were injured recently. I don't want to have to patch you up again."

"No one will be sleeping on the floor," Aerith interrupted. Leon could have sworn there was a smile hidden in her unusually stern features. "You two will be working together – yes, Leon, I know you make the schedules, but I make the food and clean the house. You'll be working together, sparring together – Cloud, you need to get used to that sword – and learning about each other."

"Are you _serious_?" Leon couldn't help himself, and quickly winced as he realized his mistake. Aerith, however, simply laughed.

"I know, I know – cheesy, right? But Merlin thinks it'll help. Besides, Cloud probably wants to know more about Hollow Bastion. Anyway, that's all. I have to go make lunch, so you two have fun now!" Cheerfully waving them out of the kitchen, Leon and Cloud simply gave each other confused looks and headed up the stairs.

* * *

"So… what's your favorite color?"

"Blue. Favorite animal?"

"Lion. Alcoholic beverage?"

"Hm… beer, I guess. Disney movie?"

"101 Dalmatians. Song?"

"Whatever Reno isn't singing." There was laughter from both men, and Cloud tossed a bit of popcorn up in the air and into his mouth before continuing. "Fruit?"

"Strawberries. Umm… I can't think of any other questions," Leon said, rubbing the back of his neck. It was getting late, after all. "What d'you say we call it a night?"

"Okay." There was a pause as the two men surveyed each other. Having taken Reno's advice, Cloud decided that Leon really wasn't that bad, when he wasn't being insensitive, while Leon had let his frustration with the blonde (mostly) ebb away. However, that didn't mean they wanted to sleep in the same bed, or get changed in front of each other.

"We're both guys. It won't be weird."

"Right."

Neither of them were as confident as they sounded, but the two men proceeded to pull off their shirts. When Leon moved past him to toss his shirt into the hamper, Cloud found his eyes drifting over his tan, muscled back. Catching himself, the blonde tugged his own shirt over his spikes, chasing those thoughts from his mind. "D'you mind if I just sleep in boxers?"

"Go ahead."

Just down the hall, Aerith smiled to herself as she heard the two men go to bed, then went to the room she shared with Yuffie. Things were off to a pretty good start.


	8. Newcomer

**Chapter Eight:** Newcomer

**Author's Note:** I'm sorry for taking so long to update, but I had all but given up on this story. I hit a wall that is possibly the biggest obstacle that I've ever had to encounter while writing something. However, I've been without internet for the past few days, and ended up re-reading the earlier chapters. I saw a line – a small, seemingly insignificant little line – and WHAM! I was hit with a flood of inspiration. That being said, there will probably be a genre add-on and a rewritten summary by the time this story is finished… whenever that may be. If you've stuck with me through the last few months or if you're just starting to read this now, thank you. And next time it takes me this long to update, kick me.

By the way, I've decided that this is, actually, an AU fic. It only took me forever. Also, there will be many references to FFVII – both the world, other characters, and the plot. If you don't know much about the game, please don't leave. I will be happy to explain things if necessary, and there are lots of websites that will also give you information.

**Disclaimer:** Don't own, etc. You know the drill.

* * *

"_Cloud."_

_Cloud opened his eyes to find that he was back in the flower-filled church. Aerith and the man Cloud now realized was named Zack were standing around him. Taking Aerith's outstretched hand, Cloud stood up, not fighting the dream._

"_I see you found my sword," Zack said, smiling._

_Cloud nodded, reaching for the sword's place on his back, only to find that it wasn't there. 'How did he know…?'_

"_Listen, Cloud." Aerith's voice distracted him from his thoughts, and he quickly turned towards her. "I need you to do something for me. I need you to stay close to your light."_

"_But what if I fail?"_

"_You won't," Zack reassured him, clapping one hand onto his shoulder._

"_Please, Cloud," Aerith continued. "Don't look for him. Don't feed that obsession."_

"_What obsession? What are you talking about?" A flash echoed through Cloud's mind suddenly. Silver hair, a long sword, blood, one wing, cold laughter…But he couldn't quite place it._

"_Listen, Cloud. They need you now. Don't turn your back on them, no matter how hard it may seem. They're looking out for you, all of them." Zack soothed Cloud's hands out of the death-grip they had on his skull. "I know it's hard. But someday, you'll understand."_

"_What do you mean, 'someday'? What's going on? What's happening to me?"_

"_Cloud…"_

"Cloud!"

Cloud shot up, blue eyes suddenly wide. Leon's hand was on his shoulder. "You were twitching," he explained, gray eyes studying him.

"I… it was nothing. Just a dream."

"Do you have them a lot?" Cloud's head snapped towards him.

"What? Why?"

"Well, we are sharing a room, not to mention a bed. If you're going to be having these a lot, I'd like to know so I don't get kicked next time."

Cloud swallowed. That was all… there was no need to be so paranoid. "Oh. Yeah, I guess. I don't remember having any before the fall, but ever since I've been here…"

Leon nodded quickly, only now moving his hand away from its spot on Cloud's shoulder. "They'll probably settle down in a few days. For now, though, it's time to get up – Tifa is supposed to arrive today, and I want to get something done before we all have to go out and celebrate."

"Right." Even though it made perfect sense, Cloud couldn't help but wish he could stay there a little longer. It felt safe.

--

Hours later found Cloud, Leon, and – to Cloud's surprise – Yuffie working near the Borough. Other than Leon's occasional sighs when Cloud screwed something up, it had been surprisingly pleasant. Cloud was quickly coming to realize that what Reno had said was true – Leon wasn't as much of a hard-ass as Cloud had originally thought. That being said, he wasn't exactly social either – Cloud had spent much of the time talking with Yuffie.

"Okay guys, let's wrap it up and head back."

"You got it, Squall!" Yuffie chirped, ignoring Leon's glare at the mention of his real name. "Let's go, Cloudster!"

Dancing off ahead of the two men, Yuffie was already out of sight around the corner when Cloud started moving. He didn't get far, however, as Leon's hand came out of nowhere to grab his arm. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure." Leon looked hesitant, dropping Cloud's arm and fiddling with a stray nail before finally speaking up.

"I'm sorry about the way I acted before. If we're going to live together, we might as well make the best of it, and we can't do that if I'm being a jerk. So, I'm sorry." With that, Leon walked off to catch up with Yuffie.

Smiling slightly to himself, Cloud watched him for a minute before realizing that he was just standing there. Half-jogging around the corner, he nearly slammed into Leon, who had stopped. "Leon?"

"TIFAAAA!" Peering around the brunet's shoulder, Cloud caught sight of Yuffie hugging a tall, dark-haired, leather-clad woman. "You're back!"

Laughing, Tifa pulled Yuffie off of her. "Yes, Yuffie, I'm back. Hi Leon!"

Stepping forward, Leon nodded, quickly checking her over for injuries. "We missed you. But who's your friend?" Cloud followed Leon's gaze over to a dark corner, where a black-haired man in a red cape stood. Yuffie looked over, too, and seemed to falter slightly.

"My name is Vincent Valentine. Miss Lockhart found me and offered me a place to stay." His voice was smooth and low, but quiet. "You are Yuffie Kisaragi and Squall, who prefers to be called Leon, Leonhart. And you…" Vincent turned, fixing onto Cloud with his red eyes. "Who are you?"

"Cloud Strife. I've been staying with them for awhile now. It's nice to meet you, Tifa, Vincent." Slightly uneasy, Cloud noticed the gun attached to Vincent's hip and the golden gauntlet on his left hand. He knew, without a doubt, that this man could kill him – but why wasn't he afraid? It almost felt like he knew him… Turning to look at Tifa, Cloud found that the feeling only increased. Then again, Cloud had known a black-haired girl growing up; perhaps he was just reminded of her. That had to be it.

Catching his eye, Tifa grinned. "Come on; let's go home. I'm sure everyone is waiting."


	9. Encounter

**Chapter Nine:** Encounter

**Author's Note:** You get two chapters today, because I'm nice. Or guilty that I've left you waiting for so long. Something. xD

This is the chapter where Cloud starts getting suspicious. Also, we have a bit of Valenwind in this chapter. For those of you who don't know, in FFVII, Vincent was experimented on and four 'demons' were placed inside him. He could transorm into Galien Beast, Hellmasker, Death Gigas, and Chaos during his limit breaks. Chaos and who he is are expanded on in Dirge of Cerberus, but that isn't important to this story.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned these people, all that innuendo wouldn't stay that way for long.

* * *

The walk back to Merlin's house was a rather strange one. Yuffie and Tifa were catching up, talking excitedly about everything that had happened while Tifa was away. Cloud heard his name mentioned more than once. They were the only two who seemed cheerful, however – Vincent was trailing behind the girls, keeping to himself, and Leon was watching Vincent. It seemed Leon didn't get the same sort of vibe from the cloaked man that Cloud, and assumingly Yuffie and Tifa, did. Cloud, however, was grappling with his mind. Parts of him were screaming that he knew Vincent and Tifa, but he didn't. He had never met any of these people, so why did part of him automatically want to say they had been a part of his life? And why not Merlin and Leon? He couldn't come up with any answers, and ended up only feeling frustrated. When Merlin's house came into sight, he was incredibly relieved.

"Mmm, I can smell Aerith's chicken!" Yuffie exclaimed.

"Ooh, good!" Tifa grinned before looking back at Vincent. "Don't worry about intruding; you aren't, really."

Vincent looked momentarily surprised, but quickly regained his composure. "If you insist."

Opening the door, Tifa laughed as Yuffie darted inside. Yells could be heard, and soon Merlin, Cid, and Aerith had all assembled around the kitchen table. Leon and Cloud stood to the side, while Yuffie dragged Tifa inwards. "She's back!"

"We can see that, brat." Cid grumbled. "But you were saying something about someone else."

"Oh, right! Where'd he go, Tiff?"

Chuckling slightly, Merlin leaned forward. "Yuffie, sit down. You've probably startled him."

"I'm fine, thank you." Vincent was suddenly in the doorway, red cloak swirling around him slightly. "Vincent Valentine."

"Welcome, Vincent!" Aerith said at once. "I'm Aerith."

Merlin coughed slightly, a slight twinkle in his eyes. "Merlin."

Everyone turned to look at Cid, who was staring at Vincent as though he'd seen a ghost. Vincent, in turn, was looking back at him with a sight frown. Confusion and slight recognition etched on his face, the pale man took a hesitant step forward.

Elbowing Cid in the side, Yuffie quickly added "And he's Cid," before she was hushed.

"…You. I know you. But… how? I can't…" Vincent whispered, looking almost afraid. Cid was frantically chewing on his toothpick, but at the gunman's words looked up.

Aerith shifted, a slight frown on her face as she and Tifa exchanged looks. Leon looked on with mild interest, while Cloud frowned. Vincent seemed to be having the same memory issues he was having, but they were mostly directed at Cid. Why was that?

"I… uh… maybe I've just got one of those faces, y'know?" Cid stammered, though he was standing now – almost without even realizing it.

"No. No, that's not it." Vincent paused, then rubbed his forehead. "They… they know you, too."

Cid nearly choked on his toothpick. "They? You mean…?"

Vincent smiled sadly. "You must think I'm crazy. There are… others, who share this body with me. They're… showing me…"

Cloud almost looked away as he heard Tifa whisper "Chaos" to Aerith. He didn't, however, and so when Vincent's red eyes flashed yellow, he saw it. Both he and Leon jumped to attention, but what happened next was not what either of them expected.

Vincent and Cid stepped closer to each other. Vincent's eyes were completely yellow now, and fangs could be seen protruding from his lip. Cid didn't seem afraid, however – instead, he carefully brushed the side of Vincent's face. "It's been awhile… Chaos." Ignoring the others in the room, Cid let his thumb run along Vincent's lip. "I take it you and the others still remember?"

Vincent – no, it was Chaos, one of the things inside the mysterious man – laughed slightly, and Cloud noticed that the voice was deeper, almost guttural. "Yes. But we're being repressed by something; not enough, but he only remembers you." A slight smirk grew on his face as he continued. "It excites him… but scares him. You'll have to make him trust you again."

Cid nodded, a slight smile breaking through. "But it can work, right? Yeah… I'll make it work." Brushing his lips against the other man's, Cid stepped back, and Cloud noticed that his eyes were shining slightly. "He won't remember this conversation?" Chaos shook his head.

"Not all of it." And then Chaos was gone, replaced by Vincent, who stumbled forward only to be caught by Cid.

"Easy there. C'mon, you can stay with me above the hangar; there's plenty of room, and it won't be any trouble. The house can be kinda crowded." Vincent nodded his thanks, and Cid helped the gunman out, but not before shooting a glance at Aerith.

The kitchen was quiet for a moment after Cid and Vincent left. Leon was studying Cloud, Yuffie seemed ready to run for it, and Tifa looked confused, but Aerith quickly stepped in. "Well, everyone, it looks like dinner is going to be around seven. Leon, why don't you take Cloud out for some sparring? Merlin will relay what Tifa found out back to you. Yuffie, if you could stick around here, I have a few things I need you to do."

Nodding, Leon grabbed his gunblade. "Come on, Cloud."

Cloud hesitated, but grabbed the Buster Sword and followed, not realizing that he wouldn't have time to think about what had just happened when he was exhausted from training.


	10. Questions

**Chapter Ten:** Questions

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. Sadly enough.

* * *

Training with Leon, Cloud quickly learned, was hard. However, Cloud wasn't – to his surprise and Leon's satisfaction – bad with a sword. Leon, however, was better, and the advantage of speed. That night, as the two of them stumbled home (well, Cloud stumbled – Leon just sort of slouched), the blond thought back to the earlier events of the day.

"Hey, Leon?" The brunet grunted to show that he was listening. "What d'you think Vincent meant, when he said he remembered Cid? I mean, Cid seemed to know him… and then there was Chaos. I wonder what happened to him."

Leon sighed, running a hand through his hair. He seemed to pause before speaking in a tone of voice that almost made it sound like he was joking. "Do you believe in past lives, Cloud? Maybe they knew each other. As for Chaos, I have no idea; maybe you should as Vincent. Discreetly."

Even though it had been a rhetorical question, Cloud found himself answering quietly. "I didn't. Now I'm not so sure, not with the dreams…"

Leon turned to look at him sharply. "What was that?"

"Nothing. It's nothing. Let's get going, I'm tired… you're a slave-driver, you know that, right?" Hurrying back to the house, Cloud missed Leon's intense stare.

--

That night, after Cloud was asleep, Leon crept down to the kitchen. He wasn't surprised to find Merlin there, pouring over one of his massive books. Cid was there, too, brewing a cup of tea and looking tired but happier than Leon had ever seen him. "How's Vincent?"

"Fine. He knows 'bout Chaos' little chat, but doesn't know the details. He's resting up now; those four demons messed up th' transition more than I'd like, but he'll be fine. He's strong. Merlin's lookin' for any clues, but Vin's a special case, so it ain't goin' well." Rubbing the back of his neck, Cid paused before asking "How'd training with Spikey go?"

"Good. He's got talent; almost cut me in two a few times," Leon admitted, though mentally added that with a sword that size it was hard not to. He then shot a look at Merlin, who was watching him over his glasses. "About Cloud… I think we have a problem."

--

Cloud woke up the next morning only to be ambushed by Yuffie. He thought about yelling, only to realize that Aerith and Tifa were waiting for him, Cid and Vincent were in the hangar, and Leon was in town. Having been barricaded in Aerith and Yuffie's shared room and seated on the bed, Cloud resigned himself to his fate.

"So, Cloud," Aerith started in her innocent voice, the effect of which ruined by the glint in her eyes, Yuffie's giggling, and Tifa standing guard in front of the door with her arms crossed. "How have you been?"

Cloud swallowed nervously. They were all scary on their own, but the three of them combined? "I've been fine."

"Good, good. We have a few questions for you, it won't take long."

"And I get to play with your hair!" Yuffie chimed in, already examining it from behind him.

"You'll behave, won't you, Cloud?" Tifa added, giving him a look that made it very clear that he would be in quite a bit of pain, either physical or mental, if he didn't.

"Of course he will," Aerith said sweetly, taking a seat across from him. "Now, Cloud. What do you think about Leon?"

Cloud blinked. "He's okay, I guess… when he's not being such a hard-ass." Aerith gave him a look, and Cloud decided to elaborate. "He's a good guy, better than I thought at first. He's a hard worker – you can tell he cares about this place a lot, and about the people who live here. Leon… keeps people calm when they're in the middle of panicking, he's just kind of got that aura about him." Wincing as Yuffie pulled on a bit of his hair, Cloud missed Aerith's slight grin.

"And?"

"He's patient enough to teach, but only just. He's strong, and really good with his gunblade." Cloud paused for a minute, thinking about Leon's fighting stance. He had great biceps, and you could see the fierce determination in his smoky gray eyes when he wanted to do some damage. It drew him in, made him want to study the other man, made him want to…

At Aerith's soft giggling, Cloud realized he'd been staring off into space. "So, you like him, huh?" Before Cloud could answer, she quickly added "As more than a friend."

Cloud shut his mouth, shocked. "Wha…?"

From behind him, Yuffie bounced off the bed. "Finished! Oh, Cloud, you look so cute with bows in your hair!"

Effectively distracted, Cloud missed the knowing look between Aerith and Tifa as he chased Yuffie around the room.


	11. Time

**Chapter Eleven:** Time

**Author's Note:** I haven't had Cloud dream since Chapter Eight, and I missed it. xD

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything… although I have collected all the Olympic Coca-Cola cans!

* * *

_There was smoke rising from the town he had left behind, but Cloud didn't care. His legs kept him going, let him burst into the reactor as he chased Sephiroth. They shook as he saw Tifa, as he saw Zack, but when he called upon strength he didn't know he had and threw… Sephiroth… into the abyss, they were strong._

"_We have to get out of here, the plate's going to fall!" He was running again, following Tifa and… Barret…, cursing Reno and… Shinra… as he ran, hoping Aerith was safe, knowing that they had to get her back._

"_What a crew." It was Rufus Shinra, eyeing them with disdain, and Cloud looked over to see… Nanaki… baring his teeth._

"_More nightmares will come to me now, more than I previously had." Vincent was looking at him, red eyes dull as he enclosed himself in his coffin once more, only to come back out and join them as he sought atonement._

"_You're pretty scared of me, huh?" Yuffie asked, grinning, hands on her hips – he rolled his eyes and replied "…Petrified."_

"_Hold onto your drawers, an' don't piss in 'em!" Cid shouted as the plane dipped lower and lower and Cloud tightened his grip on the wing as they crashed, waves flying over them._

"_W-wait a second. I won't run or hide. Yes, I was a spy. I was hired by the Shinra. I couldn't help it. How 'bout if we continue like nothing ever happened?" Cloud glared at… Cait Sith… as the stuffed cat spoke, not able to ignore the pain of betrayel._

"_I think I want to be forgiven," he admitted, and Aerith's answer shocked him._

"_By who?"_

As Cloud tossed and turned in his sleep, Merlin sighed. "The dreams are more than just dreams now," he whispered, turning to look at Leon. "He's remembering. I can make it so he won't remember these when he wakes up, at least not consciously, but…"

Leon nodded. "Just give me a little more time."

Merlin closed his eyes, raised his wand, and began.

--

In the darkness of the hangar, Vincent's glowing red eyes opened. He had always been a light sleeper, but he had found himself able to sleep surprisingly well with Cid's loud snoring close by. Something about the man was far too familiar, but Vincent didn't dwell on it. Standing up, the black haired man pulled on his cape and slipped out onto the roof of the hanger. There was a blue glow coming from the room Cloud and Leon shared.

"Chaos."

"_What?"_

"Can you tell what that light is?"

"_Hmm… it feels like some sort of magic. Nothing I know well, but it radiates off the old man – Merlin, I believe he was called. Leonhart is in there, too – awake."_

Vincent frowned. "What about Cloud?"

"_Sleeping. He – oh, my, this _is_ curious. Merlin is doing something to him; looks like he's tossing about in his sleep."_

The gunman's frown grew wider. "If it is to help nightmares, they would just wake him up and do it then, with his permission… He's still dreaming, too. I don't like this, Chaos – these people are keeping something from us."

There was a dry chuckle, but no more out of the demon. There was nothing for Vincent to do now but watch.

--

Cloud woke up to find Leon already gone and the sun shining merrily in the sky. Groaning, Cloud got up and stumbled around until he was ready to go downstairs. For some reason, he felt really strange – almost light-headed.

"Mornin'," Cid grunted from his computer, where he appeared to be working with some sort of equation. "Tea's in the kitchen, an' I think Aerith saved you some toast. You're off today; Leon's got work to do in the castle's study."

Nodding, he stepped into the kitchen, ignoring the tea and only grabbing one piece of toast. He hadn't ever been to the castle, and what Leon was doing there that meant Cloud had to stay away. He frowned slightly; he hadn't gotten to ask Leon about what had happened to Hollow Bastion yet. Stepping outside, grabbing the Buster Sword on his way out, Cloud vowed to ask him when the man returned. A flash of silver caught his attention, and Cloud froze.

_Silver hair, green eyes, slit pupils, maniacal laughter, a long sword held by skilled hands, and a single black wing bursting from his shoulder…_

"Cloud!"

Dropping his sword, Cloud almost ran after the single flash of color, his heart pounding – but someone was holding him back. Brown hair and gray eyes assaulted his senses, warm, calloused hands holding him.

"…Leon?" Cloud's world seemed to be spinning, black shadows encroaching on his vision. "Thought you… castle…?"

"I came back," Leon whispered, attempting to keep the surprisingly heavy man up.

Cloud reached out, his fingers hooking on the edge of Leon's glove. "…Silver," he mumbled, and then passed out.

Sighing, Leon pulled him closer, even as Cid burst outside swearing to help. This wasn't supposed to happen. When Cid looked at him, the brunet found himself shaking his head, his voice colder than normal. "I need more time… as much as I can take."

His gaze lingering on the tight grip his friend had on Cloud, Cid nodded, understanding flooding through him, though reality told the both of them that time was running out.


	12. Night Break

**Chapter Twelve:** Night Break

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything, okay? Keep your lawyers leashed.

* * *

A dim light flickered in the silent kitchen, the only sign that someone in the house was awake. It was still, with most of the residents sleeping, exhausted after worrying themselves sick. Cloud had been kept asleep at Aerith's insistence, her face pale and her hands shaking so much that Tifa had made dinner instead. Cid had locked himself in his hangar, furiously beating and banging on machines as though they were the reason Cloud had passed out in Leon's arms. Yuffie had been sent out to find Vincent, who had disappeared during the night, though no one really thought she'd be able to find the mysterious gunner. With everyone else busy, it fell upon Merlin and Leon to continue their research, pouring over books and scrolls and even a tapestry all day without stopping.

It was close to midnight when Merlin had gone to bed, letting his hand rest on Leon's shoulder for a moment and sighing sadly before he left the kitchen. Leon wondered if the wizard was giving up, and gritted his teeth, immersing himself in his reading once again. He had to find something… anything.

Turning the page, he found himself staring at a picture, and with a start, he grabbed the book and his gunblade before running into the night. As the brunet ran, a crimson shadow slipped inside the house, cloak swirling between the door just before it shut.

--

"Cloud, wake up."

There was a voice. He could hear it, just out of reach. It was familiar, somehow, and Cloud found himself struggling to get to it, pulling his arms away from invisible ties and slowly, slowly coming out of sleep. Drowsily, he blinked, blue eyes slightly hazy. "Vincent? What happened?"

The black-haired gunman was crouched next to his bed, but when Cloud spoke raised his fingers to his lips. "Quiet." After listening for any sounds, the pale man turned back to Cloud, red eyes meeting blue. "You passed out. I'm not sure why. But something is going on here, Cloud, something that you and I are unaware of. Last night, I saw something. You were dreaming. Merlin and Leon were in here, and they were doing something to you; some sort of spell, I believe."

"What? But why would they…?" Cloud frowned, sitting up slightly.

"I don't know. But it seems we are the only two who are unaware as to what is really going on. Why the town needs restoring, why no one goes to the ruins outside of town… I was experimented on before I came here, which is why there are demons in my head. I know that much, but I can't remember anything clearer than that and the faint memories I have of Cid."

Cloud's eyes grew wider. "Vincent! When you first came here, Chaos came out – he and Cid were talking, and he said that he and the others remembered everything, but that you were being repressed by something…"

"Of course," Vincent breathed. "The demons are probably unaffected by the repression process. But why would you be of interest?"

Cloud swallowed. "I've been having these dreams… I know people, without ever meeting them. I knew Aerith, Yuffie, Cid, Tifa… and you, without knowing you."

"Then you feel it as well. What about Merlin and Leon?" Cloud shook his head.

"It's just certain people, and people I've never seen here. I'll get flashes of names, someone's face, a personality quirk… it's mostly feelings, though."

Vincent nodded, taking in the information. It matched with his own, for the most part, and further convinced the dark haired man that something strange was going on. But… "How did you get here, Cloud?"

"I…" Swallowing, Cloud sat up, noticing that he was still wearing his clothes from earlier. "I jumped off a cliff… I was trying to kill myself." Pausing, he frowned, then laughed weakly. "It's strange… I can't remember why…"

"…When Miss Lockhart found me, Chaos had just finished putting me back together. I found bullets where I'd been lying, and there was one, bloodstained, in my hair. I don't know what's going on here, Cloud, but it's something strange enough to make you pass out at the slightest flash of silver. I think we should leave, tonight."

Cloud nodded, already getting up and hooking his sword onto his back. Vincent seemed urgent, and was talking… this was serious, and even though he'd only known the man for a few days, something within him was telling him that the gunman didn't speak this much unless it was important. "What about Cid?" he asked, turning to look at the gunner.

"What about Leon?" he retorted, red eyes glowing slightly.

"…Fair enough." Cloud bowed his head, and the two stole out of the house and into the night.


	13. Wings

**Chapter Thirteen:** Wings

**Author's Note:** What's this? A new chapter? And something that resembles a plot? It can't be!

Also, this was up yesterday on dA, because FF was failing. Moral of the story: stalking me can't be a bad thing!

**Disclaimer:** Definite lack of ownership on my part.

* * *

He'd figured it out.

…Well, not entirely, but Leon was now a step closer to finding out what was wrong with the blond man who had turned all of their lives upside-down, though Cloud didn't even know it. Toying with the Griever pendant around his neck, the brunet continued to flip through pages, looking for any clues he may have missed. Absorbed in his work, he almost missed the slight gust of wind that ruffled some of the pages on the desk. There was a slight chuckle, and then he was out of his chair, gunblade out and hand wrapped around the throat of a grinning black-haired man.

"Nice to see you too, Leon," Zack Fair chirped. "Mind not smashing me against the wall? Angeal's going to wet himself with laughter if you do."

Releasing his grip, Leon shook his head, though his expression softened. "You deserve it for sneaking up on me."

Rolling his blue-violet eyes, Zack stretched, a lone white wing unfurling itself from his shoulder. Leon watched with only slightly shielded interest in his gray eyes. "So you passed?"

"Thanks to Angeal, yeah. The other one is starting to grow in on the both of us; he's all crotchety about it, but it's not that big a deal. He loves me too much to want to take the first one back," Zack replied with a grin, picking up a stack of scrolls and sitting down on the stool they'd buried. "What's all this, huh?" Unfurling one of the age-worn scrolls, Zack began to read, eyes opening wide in shock. "JENOVA? Are you serious?"

Leon nodded, turning the book he'd been looking at earlier towards Zack. "It seems like we missed one of her children… he's having flashbacks and everything. He even found your sword."

Zack's jaw dropped. "You mean Cloud? Shit, Leon. How'd he end up _here_? That kid was tough as nails the last time I dropped in. Maybe not _mentally_, but…"

"Suicide. Tifa thinks it's due to the fact that so many of his previous comrades ended up going so soon. A man named Vincent showed up, too, and he's had demons put in his body by a mad scientist. That we can deal with. JENOVA…" Leon trailed off, shaking his head.

"Hey." The winged man placed one hand on the brunet's shoulder, smiling slightly. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you cared. I haven't seen you like this since you changed your name." When Leon fixed him with a glare, Zack backed off, waving his hands slightly. "Kidding, man, only kidding."

Nodding to show that that he forgave him, Leon started packing up the books and other miscellaneous papers, and then froze. A newspaper, crinkled and turning yellow with age, stared at him from where he lifted a heavy book. "…Zack."

"Yeah?"

"What do you think of when I say the word 'silver'?"

--

The night air was brisk, and Cloud felt himself enjoying it as he followed Vincent through the outskirts of town. It was helping him clear his head from the daze and panic of finding out that Leon and the others had been lying to him, casting magic on him as he slept. The stars twinkled above them, and occasionally some light would gleam off of Vincent's gauntlet. The houses around them were all dark, sleeping, and it seemed as though no one had noticed they were gone from Merlin's place yet.

Ahead of him, Vincent stopped, looked around, and frowned. "There's something strange here."

"What do you mean?"

"It seems too still."

Not bother to ask what the dark-haired gunner meant by that, Cloud shifted his hand towards his sword, blue eyes staring down the street like it would tell him what it knew about this place. "…Vincent? Have you ever heard of Hallow Bastion before Tifa found you?"

There was a pause. "I have a vague recollection of this place, but that, too, seems… wrong, somehow."

"Me too." The two men were silent for a moment until Cloud caught sight of some movement in the corner of his eye. Spinning around, the blond released the handle of his sword when he saw what it was. Floating to the ground was a single black feather.


	14. Fog

**Chapter Fourteen:** Fog

**Author's Note:** I had a dream in which an owl told me to update this story. o.o There were also speech bubbles.

Leon talks a lot, but I can't help it. He needs to. D:

This is a really short chapter; sorry about that.

**Disclaimer:** Kingdom Hearts, I am your father.

…I wish.

* * *

"So let me get this straight," Zack began, ignoring the fact that Leon was pinching his nose in frustration. "You want me to arrange a meeting with the Organization. _The_ Organization. Organization-fricking-Thirteen."

"Yes, Zack."

"_Why?_ And why _me?_"

Leon eyed the black haired man, ignoring the way Zack's wing was fluttering. "If what you and the others have told me, Gaia's a place with serious problems."

"Actually, I said it breeds weirdos."

Raising an eyebrow, Leon continued. "Right. Anyway, one of the major parts of this problem was JENOVA, and she's never manifested like that before – the other cases were all relatively minor. We don't know why, but more importantly, we don't know what that makes or means to Cloud. Not only does the Organization include a Keybearer-"

"Roxas," Zack offered.

"-it is also composed of all sorts of different specialists and has a library a lot bigger than this one. They're the founders of your order, Zack – you've got access to places and people I don't, Head of the Committee or not. Besides, you've got Angeal."

The winged man huffed, scratching the spot Leon assumed to be where his second wing was beginning to grow. "Yeah, but… maaan, Xemnas is a creepy old bastard. I mean, yeah, if _he's_ involved we'll need the Organization to know, at least, but…"

The brunet sighed, rubbing his forehead before looking up. "Zack. Why else would this be happening?"

The violet-eyed man chewed his lip for a moment before nodding. "You're right. I'll send word tomorrow. For now, though – oh, hey Yuffs!"

Sprinting into the room, Yuffie slid to a stop on several loose sheets of paper, panting slightly. "Cloud and Vincent are gone."

--

"Vincent?" Cloud called, looking around in confusion. The city was suddenly foggy, the black feather gone as the white swirled around him.

"Hello, Cloud."

"Who's there?" The blond called back, pulling the sword off his back and holding it ready as his eyes tried to pierce the fog.

There was soft laughter, though the volume didn't disguise the venom in the voice that seemed to come from all around him. "You don't remember? Poor little puppet."

Something like ice gripped Cloud's veins at the words, his eyes sliding partially shut. "I…"

"You have something that belongs to me… something that Mother wants. That's why I brought you here."

Cloud froze, eyes flashing open. "_You_ brought me here? But I-"

"You are nothing more than a puppet, Cloud."

His grip on the Buster Sword suddenly strengthening, Cloud growled. "Who are you? Come out!"

The voice was silent, and the fog began to roll away.

* * *

Zack's line about 'breeding weirdos' comes from a saying we use at school a lot: "Wisconsin breeds weirdos." It's true – a lot of interesting (or just plain crazy) people come from WI – Jeffrey Dahmer, Harry Houdini, and Chris Farley come to mind.

…it sounds like I'm (badly) pimping my state.


End file.
